Nancy Nickolson’s family has been in Edmonton a long time. When the Lingnan opened in 1947 her grandparents dined there when they were dating, and it’s been a family staple ever since. “My dad and his sisters would go and then when my brother and I were born they started bringing us,” Nickolson says. “It’s the family place to have our gatherings. And you can’t find a better food to pick than the egg rolls.” The restaurant has made the rolls the same way for more than 70 years, using local bean sprouts. Nicholson says her family will keep on ordering the egg rolls as long as Lingnan keeps making them.
An artist who takes inspiration from her Ukrainian heritage, Nickolson says she is always interested in how other cultures use colours and patterns. She highlights the interior of the Lingnan as an example of this. “As a kid I was always looking at the space and how all the elements fit together,” she says. This helps her find new ways to incorporate colour palettes and references to nature, which are central to her work. “It’s always amazing when you don’t have to travel far to be inspired,” Nicholson says. “My work features a lot of colours and plants and animals, so it’s nice to be inspired in that way.”
If there’s anything to be gleaned from this series: we Edmontonians love food and we love being outdoors. When we’re not slurping noodles or lingering over brunch, we’re taking scenic strolls, stopping at dog parks and snapping pictures at river valley vistas. Delve into this year’s list of Edmontonians’ favourite things — with best-loved picks from a variety of noteworthy locals who span the arts, business, sports and non-profit realms — to help build your own summer bucket list. And if you can’t make it beyond your backyard, you can at least follow this foolproof formula and enjoy something tasty in the sunshine.
